Episode 041: David Firestein

Introduction: Given his multiple skill sets as both a top retail real estate broker at The Shopping Center Group, as well as that of an owner and investor, along with his ability to adapt his leasing game to any court or playing field, today we have with us retail leasing's equivalent of both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – yes my real estate brethren – the one and only David Firestein.    Episode Notes: At 1:41, David Firestein discusses persistence, struggling, and working for Steve Roth in the early days of his career. At 2:34, David talks about formal education and "street" education. At 3:30, Firestein dives into having worn multiple hats in the real estate industry, and the advantages gained in acquiring an understanding of the wants and needs of the various parties involved in a negotiation. At 4:58, he provides his thoughts on the newly created retail experiences in New York. At 5:52, David notes the importance of one's ability to adjust to the ups and downs in the business. At 7:05, Firestein touches upon the sustainability of food halls. At 8:56, he advises brokers to walk the streets and to "touch and feel" the real estate. At 9:55, David points out that it's okay to not know the answer. At 10:41, Firestein shares his perspective on malls, and how he thinks they are going to adapt. At 14:33, he gives his take on automation versus the element of human touch. At 15:58, David attributes "doing the right thing" to his long standing accounts with Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Costco. At 17:00, Firestein discusses communication now versus past methods of communication. At 19:07, he explains why Long Island City's slow continued growth may be better compared to the alternative. At 20:14, David dives into self-help, persistence and finding a mentor. At 21:17, Firestein suggests that positive thinking is the key to manage the highs and lows of the real estate industry. At 22:42, he talks about his son Guss, as well as the importance of having in-person meetings. At 23:51, David shares how he finds his balance and his happy place in the West Indies. At 24:33, Firestein notes that if he could change anything in the world, it would be to reduce the amount of plastics we use. At 25:29, David Firestein closes out the podcast with his goal of making it to day two of the World Series of Poker next year.